Brace for deck railing

ABSTRACT

A brace for deck railing is provided in which blocking is secured between the joists and a metal brace is fastened at one end to the blocking and at the other end to the post and rim board. The brace may be adjustable in length. According to a further variant the brace has a vertical piece attached to a plate which is secured to the post. In an alternate arrangement, the vertical element is attached to a sliding sleeve which slides on the brace to permit the placing of the post to be varied.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefits, under 35 U.S.C.§119(e), of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/531,768 filed Sep. 7, 2011 which is incorporated herein by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the field of deck construction, and in particular construction of decks having railings supported by posts.

BACKGROUND

Wooden decks are typically constructed of a number of parallel joists, a rim board, sheathing, and vertical posts supporting guard rails. In the past the posts have been bolted directly to the face of the rim board or to the rear face of the rim board supported by cross-braces. In either case, due to the lever arm created by the distance from the guard rail to the attachment point of post on rim board, a pressure applied to the guard rail creates possible failure of the connection of the post to the rim board. Prior art methods of reinforcing the point of attachment of the post to the deck include an angle bracket fastened to the joist and rim board to reinforce the post attachment; multiple anchors secured to the joist and against which the rim board is tightened by bolts, and multiple layers of blocking fastened to the rim board by fasteners to reinforce the rim board.

The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

SUMMARY

The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements.

In the present invention, blocking is secured between the joists and a metal brace is fastened at one end to the blocking and at the other end to the post and rim board. The brace may be adjustable in length. According to a further variant the brace has a vertical piece attached to a plate which is secured to the post. In an alternate arrangement, the vertical element is attached to a sliding sleeve which slides on the brace to permit the placing of the post to be varied.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed descriptions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show prior art methods of attaching railing to wood decks.

FIG. 3 is an elevation partly in cross-section on line A of FIG. 4 of the first brace element of the invention installed on a deck.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the invention installed on a deck, with pickets and guard rail removed for purposes of illustration and the deck sheathing largely cut away and shown in phantom outline for purposes of illustration.

FIG. 5 is an elevation partly in cross-section on line B of FIG. 4 of the second brace element of the invention installed on a deck.

FIG. 6 is a detail of an alternate attachment for the brace element shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is an elevation partly in cross-section on line B of FIG. 4 of an alternate embodiment of the brace element of the invention installed on a deck.

FIG. 8 is a detail of an alternate attachment for the brace element shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION

Throughout the following description specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding to persons skilled in the art. However, well known elements may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.

Looking at FIGS. 1 and 2, a wooden deck 10 is constructed of a number of parallel joists 12, a fascia or rim board 14, sheathing 16, vertical posts 18, pickets 20, bottom rail 21 and guard rails 22. In the past the posts 18 have been bolted directly to the face of the fascia or rim board 14 as shown in FIG. 1, or to the rear face of the rim board 14 supported by cross-braces 24 as shown in FIG. 2. In either case, due to the lever arm created by the distance from the guard rail to the attachment point of post 18 on rim board 14, a pressure applied to the guard rail creates possible failure of the connection of post 18 to the rim board 14.

In the present invention as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, blocking 36 is secured between joists 12, such as by using framing anchors 37. A metal brace 38, having plates 40 secured at either end by welding or the like, is fastened at one end to reinforcing blocking 36 by plate 40 and screws 41 and at the other end to rim board 14 by plate 40 which also fastens the end of brace 38 to plate 42 by bolts 43. The lower horizontal end 19 of post 18 is secured to plate 42 by welding or the like to thereby secure post 18 to the rim board 14. This is preferable to attaching the railing posts to the surface of the deck which would penetrate the membrane. In this arrangement the end of brace 38 now becomes the point of rotation when force is applied to the railing 22 in direction X, for a post 18 of height Y above sheathing 16 and Z above the brace 38, creating a more favourable lever arm which reduces the possibility of failure when pressure is applied to the guard rail 22.

Adjustable metal brace 44, shown in FIG. 5 can also be used, with one end extending through a hole in joist 12 and being fastened to joist 12 by plate 46 to which it is secured by welding or the like, and at the other end plate 40 fastens the end of brace 44, to which it is secured, to rim board 14 and plate 40 by bolts 43. Plate 40 is thereby also secured to plate 42 to which the lower horizontal end 19 of post 18 is welded or otherwise fastened. In the alternate arrangement shown in FIG. 6, the back plate 46 is arranged on the inside face of joist 12. Adjustable brace 44 is formed of telescopic elements with bar 45 telescoping within hollow bar 47 to thereby permit the length of brace 44 to be adjustable. The relative positions of bars 45, 47 can be fixed at the desired length by a setscrew or the like but the brace will also function without so fixing the length if the tolerance of the inner sliding bar 45 is sufficiently tight within bar 47.

FIG. 7 shows a variant in which the post 18 is secured to sheathing 16. Adjustable brace 50 has a vertical piece 52 attached to plate 54 which is secured by bolts 70 to plate 42 which is in turn fastened to post 18. As in the previous embodiment, adjustable brace 50 is formed of telescopic elements with bar 51 telescoping within hollow bar 53 to thereby permit the length of brace 50 to be adjustable. The end of bar 51 extends through the center of blocking 36 and is fastened to plate 46 which in turn is screwed to blocking 36. In this way the attachment of post 18 is greatly strengthened by providing an opposing leverage. The relative positions of bars 51, 53 can be fixed at the desired length by a setscrew or the like but the brace will also function without so fixing the length.

In a further alternate arrangement shown in FIG. 8, vertical element 52 is attached to a sliding sleeve 60 which slides on brace 62 to permit the placing of post 18 to be varied. Vertical piece 52 attached to plate 54 which is secured by bolts 72 to plate 42 which is in turn fastened to post 18. The end of brace 62 extends through the center of blocking 36 and is fastened to plate 46 which in turn is screwed to blocking 36. In this way again the attachment of post 18 is greatly strengthened by providing an opposing leverage.

While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the invention be interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within its true spirit and scope. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bracing system for a post for supporting railing above a deck surface, wherein said deck comprises a plurality of parallel joists for supporting the deck surface and a vertical rim board forming the edges of the deck, said bracing system comprising: i) a rigid reinforcement element extending between and secured to two adjacent joists; ii) a rigid bracing element secured at a first end thereof to said reinforcement element and at the second end thereof to said rim board and further connected to the lower end of said post.
 2. The bracing system of claim 1 wherein said rigid bracing element is secured at a first end thereof to said reinforcement element and at the second end thereof to said rim board and the lower end of said post.
 3. The bracing system of claim 1 wherein said rigid bracing element is secured at a first end thereof to said reinforcement element by a plate secured to the first end of said rigid bracing element and at the second end thereof by a plate secured to said rim board and to the lower end of said post.
 4. The bracing system of claim 2 wherein said second end of said bracing element is fastened to said lower end of said post and to said rim board by fastening elements extending through said rim board and connecting with the lower end of said post.
 5. The bracing system of claim 4 wherein said second end of said bracing element is fastened to said lower end of said post and to said rim board by fastening elements extending through a plate secured to said second end, through said rim board and connecting with a plate secured to the lower end of said post.
 6. The bracing system of claim 1 wherein said second end of said bracing element is fastened to said post and to said rim board by fastening elements extending into said rim board and by fastening elements extending through said deck surface and connecting with the lower end of said post.
 7. The bracing system of claim 6 wherein said second end of said bracing element is fastened to said post and to said rim board by fastening elements extending through a plate secured to said second end and into said rim board and by fastening elements extending through said deck surface and connecting with a plate secured to the lower end of said post.
 8. The bracing system of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said bracing element is adjustable in length.
 9. The bracing system of claim 4 wherein the bracing element comprises a vertically extending element attached at the lower end thereof to said bracing element and at the upper end thereof to a plate which is secured through said deck surface to the lower end of said post.
 10. The bracing system of claim 4 wherein the bracing element comprises a sleeve concentrically and slidably mounted on a bar, and a vertically extending element attached at the lower end thereof to said sleeve and at the upper end thereof to a plate which is secured by fasteners extending through said deck surface to the lower end of said post.
 11. A bracing system for a post for supporting railing above a deck surface, wherein said deck comprises a plurality of parallel joists for supporting the deck surface and a vertical rim board forming the edges of the deck, said bracing system comprising: i) a rigid bracing element secured at a first end thereof to one of said joists and at the second end thereof to said rim board and to the lower end of said post.
 12. The bracing system of claim 11 wherein said second end of said bracing element is fastened to said lower end of said post and to said rim board by fastening elements extending through said rim board and connecting with the lower end of said post.
 13. A bracing system for a post for supporting railing above a deck surface, wherein said deck comprises a plurality of rigid structural elements having vertical surfaces and extending beneath said deck surface and a vertical rim board forming the edges of the deck, said bracing system comprising: i) a rigid bracing element secured at one end thereof to a structural element, and secured at the other end thereof to the lower end of said post and to said vertical rim board.
 14. A method of bracing posts attached to a deck for supporting deck railing above a deck surface, wherein said deck comprises a plurality of rigid structural elements having vertical surfaces and extending beneath said deck surface and a vertical rim board forming the edges of the deck, said method comprising providing rigid bracing elements each secured at one end thereof to a structural element, and securing the lower end of said posts to the second end of said bracing elements and to said vertical rim board. 